Getting hardware to work

[Wangster]

After reinstalling windows none of my hardware works. The 3d card doesn't run with games, and I can't access the internet through LAN or Modem, whatever program is running it will have an "illegal operation". The CD burner burns, and the DVD player works, but everything associated with the LAN card, modem, and 3d card doesn't work.
Please help

It is a P3, 500 mhz, win98se
ram 312, 3d card is a radeon all in wonder 7600
there is a LAN and modem (obviously)

Please help, my desktop has been useless for many many weeks now...

Thanks,
Jeff

[ktkendall]

Just a shot in the dark here but did you install the drivers for the motherboard, and then the drivers for the LAN, Graphics, cards and the modem will need to be installed..

[Cricket]

How did you reinstall Win98SE? Did you do a format and fresh install or did you just reinstall Win98SE over itself?

When you did the installation, did you have the soundcard, modem and NIC installed at the time? It's better to leave those out until Windows is installed and then install each device one at a time, installing the driver and making sure it works properly before installing the next device.

How are the IRQ assignments? Any conflicts? Have you checked in Device Manager?

Where are the PCI installed? Don't install anything in the first PCI slot, the one next to the AGP slot...those two slots share resources and you'll have conflicts if you do.

Cricket

[Wangster]

Well I didn't do a fresh reinstall, nothing was deleted. The drivers are still there, but I think it's just not being executed for some reason. Also, the internet explorer's "Illegal Operation error"'s show a "Detecting Proxy settings..." at the bottom at the time of box showing.

Thanks so far, please help

[Wangster]

Well I didn't do a fresh reinstall, nothing was deleted. The drivers are still there, but I think it's just not being executed for some reason. Also, the internet explorer's "Illegal Operation error"'s show a "Detecting Proxy settings..." at the bottom at the time of box showing.

Thanks so far, please help

[ktkendall]

For that IE thing go to internet options connections tab and highlight the connection you use and go into properties and there you should see that it got changed to use a proxy server, just uncheck that proxy server setting...

[Wangster]

It wasn't checked. It might just not detect any means to get online or something.

[GaryRouth]

Quick fix try: uninstall and reinstall your ISP software, if any.
____________
It's possible when you reinstalled that older file versions than some of your programs are comfortable with came along with the reinstall. One quick way to update a bunch of those at once is to update your IE/ISP software. Of course, you're going to have to get at least the modem working first!

Scan for viruses & spyware, too, just so that they don't complicate things.

If you didn't change any software/hardware just before the reinstall, and haven't changed any since (other than the system files reinstall) = do you have a known good clean copy of your Registry on a Backup disk? If so, try restoring to that.

Did you have your Bios-level AntiVirus off during the reinstall? If you want to try the reinstall again, look over the checklist in the Tips & Tricks forum http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=70846

Of course, since I'm late replying to this thread = you may have it all fixed up already. In which case - happily discard all this
. . . Gary

[Wangster]

I fixed my computer by erasing my entire C drive...
I backed up everything on my D drive, but the computer can't detect it because the BIOS (Award v4.51) doesn't read hard drives over 33.8 gb. The only way I can get the hard drive back without updating BIOS is to erase everything on it. I've been searching for how to update the BIOS but no luck. The specifications are:
Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
BIOS ID: i440BX-SMC60X-2A69KB0CC-00
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
It is on windows 98 SE

Thanks, please help

[GaryRouth]

. . .Not sure how the computer can work with the hard drive not detected?

At any rate, if C and D are separate drives (not just partitions), you should be able to stick them in a Win98 machine [might want to be safe & scan with antivirus first] and copy things over in another computer. If you copied everything from the C drive "as is", it seems that you'd still have the same troubles as before (since the only difference is the vacation to another hard drive).

As far as a bios update, this link might be able to help. The 2nd item is the list is a bios update for the Biostar M6TBA: see if that matches your machine. Scan the download for viruses before using: I'm not familiar with the website http://wims.rainbow-software.org/ind...rt=40&count=40
. . . Gary

[Wangster]

It is a separate physical back-up drive. In order to start windows, I have to disconnect it. As for the BIOS update, I think it's the right file, but how do I use it? It's a .bin file.

Thanks so far,
Jeff

[GaryRouth]

So is this right: you erased the C drive completely, and then performed a fresh install of Win98? In that case, I think enlisting a third computer to just copy data over would be safest. You'd need to reinstall all the software, since you've done a clean install. If you have a Recovery Disk, those usually will reinstall the software bundle for you.

Flashing a bios with a wrong version can render the motherboard useless. I flash motherboards all the time, but I usually use downloads from the manufacturer's websites. If you are fairly sure that that bios is OK, you'll need the Award flash utility (they have them at the manufacturer's websites, as well as on that same site [Wm's Bios] that you found the patched bios) You create a bootable floppy and add the utility and the bin file. Don't do a flash unless you understand all the steps first.

If you don't plan on keeping the larger drive in the system, I wouldn't risk the system on an unknown bios. It's your box, though - your call.
. . . Gary

[ps the USA Biostar page doesn't list a M6TBA, but it does list an M6SBA - can you find any model markings on the board? - here's the webpage for the M6SBA http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdownloads.asp?model=m6sba --you can hunt around on the BioStar site for files that match your board exactly]

[p.s. #2 - is this an OEM board? That would explain the different model #, and why it doesn't show up on their site. You'd have to go to the OEM's site for files & bios updates]

[Hepcat]

For your future information.... Most LARGE HD's manufactures will suppy you with a free format utility. They format in a type of overlay. You might want to break your BIG drives down into smaller ones. I have a 40 gig and broke it down into 4 seperate partitions. I have an older award bios to and it see's them fine.
Not sure what to do.... you might consider even doing a LOW level format of your HD using the manufactures utility to do so. They usually have them for free at thier support sites.... after low level (back to factory specs) format you will have to then re-format with the companys partition/format utility.